This invention relates in general to systems by which a plurality of surface travelling, self-propelled vehicles can be simultaneously guided over various paths of travel and be controlled by a supervising means at least to the extent that they can be made to stop at intersections of such paths when necessary to avoid collisions, and in particular to such systems, if any, using linear and curvilinear elements on or embedded in the paths to radiate guide and control signals to the vehicles, and using distributed proximity sensors to provide vehicle location information to the supervising means.
It has long been apparent that a system for guiding the travel of surface vehicles, such as landed airplanes and support vehicles in an airport environment and vehicles traveling on streets would be advantageous, especially in conditions of zero or near zero visibility. The need for such a system to control ground traffic on runways and taxiways of airports has been dramatically emphasized by recent collisions between airplanes caused by one of the airplanes being at an improper location and the control tower not being aware of the situation. If the airports involved had a system whereby control personnel at any time knew the precise locations of all the vehicles on the ground, these collisions could have been avoided.
The previously discussed system can also be advantageously applied to city street environments to automate the travel, and optionally the operation, of vehicles such as buses within predetermined networks of travel. The buses can be guided and controlled to automatically and continuously travel in circuitous routes throughout their respective networks to carry passengers from one point in the network to another point in the network.
Other advantages and attributes of this invention will be discussed or readily discernable upon the reading of the text hereinafter.